Central Park Restaurants

Central Park Restaurants (Central Park of America) is a double drive-thru hamburger chain founded in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where its first location opened in 1982 to lines twenty cars deep. Built around a simple menu of quarter-pound burgers, crispy coated fries, and milkshakes served fast from twin drive-thru windows under the chain's signature green rooftops, Central Park expanded through the 1980s and 1990s across Chattanooga and the Southeast. By its 25th anniversary the system counted more than 35 franchised restaurants operating in eight states, under the ownership of venture management company Ultimate Franchise Systems.

The chain later contracted sharply, with most locations outside its home market closing over the following years. The brand has seen a modest revival in recent years — new Chattanooga locations have opened, including a return to the Hamilton Place food court — but Central Park today operates as a small regional restaurant group rather than a national franchisor, and it is not known to be actively offering franchises.

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